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Probate & Trust Law Section Conference Manual ... - Minnesota CLE

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in excess of the applicable estate tax exemption (i.e. joint assets, unless<br />

disclaimed, will not be available to fund the Credit Shelter <strong>Trust</strong>).<br />

g. In addition to utilization of a funding formula, the Will or Revocable <strong>Trust</strong> may<br />

also give the spouse the ability to disclaim any assets passing to the spouse,<br />

outright or in a Marital <strong>Trust</strong>, and direct the disclaimed assets to the Credit Shelter<br />

<strong>Trust</strong>. This may incur a <strong>Minnesota</strong> estate tax, but that may be advantageous if it<br />

will reduce the surviving spouse’s estate and avoid federal estate taxes in the<br />

future.<br />

C. Credit Shelter <strong>Trust</strong> Administration<br />

a. The surviving spouse can be a beneficiary, as can the descendants of the decedent,<br />

and receive distributions of income and principal for health, support, maintenance<br />

and education (ascertainable standard).<br />

b. The surviving spouse can serve as the <strong>Trust</strong>ee of the <strong>Trust</strong>.<br />

c. The surviving spouse can be granted a special power of appointment (not a<br />

general power of appointment) to direct assets among the decedent’s issue or<br />

other persons without risking inclusion in the estate of the spouse. CAVEAT: the<br />

surviving spouse cannot exercise a power of appointment over any assets of the<br />

Credit Shelter <strong>Trust</strong> which were added as a result of the spouse’s disclaimer.<br />

D. Marital <strong>Trust</strong>s<br />

a. Qualification for the marital deduction is the same under <strong>Minnesota</strong> law as under<br />

federal law.<br />

b. The Marital Deduction applies and no estate tax is imposed at the death of the<br />

first spouse if:<br />

i. Assets pass to the surviving spouse outright.<br />

ii. Assets for the benefit of the spouse are held in a qualifying Marital <strong>Trust</strong><br />

1. Qualified Terminable Interest Property <strong>Trust</strong> (QTIP)<br />

a. All income paid to the spouse.<br />

b. The spouse has the power to direct the sale of non-income<br />

producing property.<br />

c. Note: <strong>Minnesota</strong> has no separate QTIP election. Therefore<br />

a Federal estate tax return must be filed with the IRS, even<br />

if the estate is under the federal filing threshold, to make<br />

sure that <strong>Minnesota</strong> will recognize it.<br />

2. Marital <strong>Trust</strong> by which the spouse is entitled to greater rights to<br />

assets, such as discretionary distributions of principal, the right to<br />

withdraw some or all of the principal, or the spouse has a general<br />

power of appointment exercisable at death.<br />

c. The assets of the Marital <strong>Trust</strong> will be included in the estate of the surviving<br />

spouse upon the surviving spouse’s death.<br />

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